After City’s rather mixed start to the season with two scintillating victories closely followed by three defeats including Saturday’s single goal loss to Forest Hill Park, the team will be desperate to get back to form and winning ways when they take on Staplehurst Monarchs at Hartsdown on Tuesday.
With three wins from three matches however, The Monarchs are already looking handily placed in the early league table currently sitting fourth and with games in hand over all the other sides in the top eight.
They’re unbeaten and in fact still possess a 100% record – one of only two left in the First Division – AFC Whyteleafe being the other – so it’s sure to be a tough nut for City to crack, especially as City’s last game with the Monarchs was as recent as last season when in September 2022, a SCEFL Cup game at the Jubilee Sports Ground went comfortably in the hosts favour who emerged with a five goal victory!
The Monarchs are fairly new to this division having only been accepted into Step 6 in 2021/22 after a Football Foundation grant was awarded for necessary ground improvements.
They had actually won the Kent County league back in 2018/19 but, despite an appeal, they failed in their bid back then to achieve Step 6 status. Last season, they finished thirteenth out of seventeen sides, but with a points tally well clear of the bottom two.
Canterbury City vs Staplehurst Monarchs will be played at Hartsdown Park, Margate on Tuesday 5th September with a kick-time of 7.45pm